David Cameron is facing claims of a Downing Street cover-up after a senior aide was arrested on suspicion of possessing child porn.

Patrick Rock resigned quietly nearly three weeks ago after officials were made aware of a potential offence.

But Labour MPs have been asking why Number 10 only disclosed the news in response to questions from the Daily Mail on Monday.

KERRY WARNS PUTIN OVER UKRAINE

Frantic diplomatic efforts are continuing to defuse the crisis in Ukraine after Vladimir Putin refused to rule out further intervention in the country.

US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Moscow that it faced economic and political isolation unless it backed off in the Crimea.

But the Russian President insisted it was “absolutely legitimate” to seek to protect the Russian-speaking population in the country.

HIGH-PROTEIN DIET ’BAD AS SMOKING’

A high-protein diet could be as dangerous as smoking 20 cigarettes a day, a new study has found.

Research from the University of Southern California shows that high levels of dietary animal protein in those under 65 were associated with a fourfold increase in their risk of death from cancer compared to those on a low protein diet.

This is an increased mortality risk associated with a 20-a-day smoking habit.

’SUGAR TAX’ CALL TO TACKLE OBESITY

A “sugar tax” may have to be introduced to curb child and adult obesity, the chief medical officer for England has warned.

Speaking to the Commons Health Select Committee, Professor Dame Sally Davies said that being overweight had become “normalised” in Britain and the Government should regulate the food and drinks industry to protect people against the dangers of excess calorie consumption.

“We need to be both strong and prepared to regulate. I think that the science is going such that that we will find sugar is addictive,” said Dame Sally.

ABUSE CAMPAIGNERS WANT LAW CHANGE

Campaigners have called for types of psychological abuse to be made a crime in a bid to save more victims of domestic violence.

Three groups have urged the Government to criminalise “coercive control”, patterns of abusive behaviour and causing psychological harm to make it easier to prove long-running abuse.

Coercive control was included in the Home Office definition of domestic violence last year, but it is not an arrestable offence.

MIGRANTS SET UP ONE IN SEVEN FIRMS

Migrant entrepreneurs are behind one in seven of all UK companies, an investigation has found.

According to research from the Centre for Entrepreneurs think tank and business information experts DueDil, nearly half a million people from 155 countries have settled in the UK and launched businesses.

Among the small and medium enterprises (SME) sector, migrant-founded companies are responsible for creating 14% of all jobs.

JURY CHOSEN FOR CLIFFORD TRIAL

Jury selection is due to start today in the trial of PR guru Max Clifford who is accused of a string of indecent assaults.

The 70-year-old, from Hersham in Surrey, denies 11 counts of the offence relating to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 19, between 1966 and 1984.

It is expected that jury selection will begin at Southwark Crown Court today, and the prosecution case will open tomorrow.

CLEGG TO RAMP UP ATTACK ON FARAGE

Nick Clegg is ramping up his attack on Ukip leader Nigel Farage ahead of their televised showdown.

The Liberal Democrat leader is to accuse Mr Farage of pocketing his MEP’s salary but not bothering to vote.

He is expected to deliver the stinging criticism in a speech to the Centre for European Reform think-tank.

SUNNY WEEKEND TO FOLLOW THE FLOODS

Weather weary Britons could bask in temperatures of up to 17C (62.6F) as a wave of high pressure sends the mercury rising this weekend.

Much of southern England can expect to enjoy temperatures in the mid-teens on Saturday and Sunday, weeks after heavy downpours and gale-force winds flooded communities and brought the transport network to its knees.

The dry spell - and likely accolade of Sunday being the warmest day of the year to date - will no doubt come as welcome relief to those still dealing with the aftermath of flood-damaged homes.

LE VELL TO TAKE BREAK FROM CORRIE

Troubled Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell is to take a break from the show to get help for “personal issues”, ITV has said.

The 49-year-old actor, who plays mechanic Kevin Webster on the soap, only recently started filming again on Weatherfield’s famous cobbled streets after being cleared of child sex offences.

It follows recent newspaper reports that Le Vell snorted cocaine in the run-up to his four-week trial last year. A jury found him not guilty of 12 child sex offences at Manchester Crown Court in September.